Research criteria are established for computer networks and ten areas of research are identified and briefly described. (RAA)

Presents a literature review that covers the following topics related to virtual communities: (1) information and virtual community; (2) virtual communities and communities of practice; (3) virtual communities and virtual arenas, including virtual community networks; and (4) networked virtual communities. (Contains 175 references.) (MES)

Examines the work of Paul Otlet as a forerunner of hypertext and as a pioneer in the history of information science. Topics addressed include microtext systems; the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC); hypertext links, navigation, and the UDC; Offices of Documentation; multimedia; a universal network for documentation; user-centeredness; and…

A discussion of communication within the field of language sciences looks at the existing system of communication, noting some of the major problems and outlining some special and strategic problems facing those who design future information systems in this area. The report begins by describing the language sciences community and its communication…

An overview of "Viewdata," an interactive medium that connects the home or business television set with a central computer database through telephone lines, is presented in this paper. It notes how Viewdata differs from broadcast Teletext systems and reviews the technical aspects of the two media to clarify terminology used in the…

This Office of Technology Assessment report on the current state of research and development in the telecommunications industry in the United States examines four specific areas of research as case studies: computer architecture, artificial intelligence, fiber optics, and software engineering. It discusses the structure and orientation of some…

Commenting on the trends toward the interlocking of emerging information societies and the growing interdependence of countries, this paper suggests the role that "informatics" (the rational and systematic use of information for planning and decision making) may play in the transition of societies into the information age. Two paradoxes…

This paper addresses the very timely issue of national information policy, particularly in view of the pending second White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services in July 1991. Information policy is examined from economic, political, and social points of view and the national government is urged to address the challenging task of…

This report examines the impact of recent and anticipated advances in communication and information technologies on the intellectual property system. Focusing primarily on the federal copyright system, it assesses the effectiveness of copyright law as a policy tool in the light of technologies such as audio and videorecorders, computer programs,…

This report presents the research and findings of the 16-member Task Force on the Role of the Special Library in Nationwide Networks and Cooperative Programs. Four working groups studied the following issues: constituencies; network legislation; benefits, barriers, and constraints to and from special library participation in networks; and the…

Collected here are symposium reports addressing the dissemination of theory and research to educational practitioners, specifically considering the National Diffusion Network (NDN) as an example of effective information delivery. An introductory theoretical review by C. M. Achilles of the state-of-the-art in dissemination poses questions for…